- With just 11 hours left to agree on the federal budget, Democrat and Republican lawmakers continue to negotiate in Washington in an attempt to reach a resolution by midnight on tonight. If no agreement is reached, there is a very real possibility that the federal government could shutdown, leaving Americans around the country worried about how it could impact them. After meeting twice with President Obama and Vice President Biden on Thursday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) announced that they were still at an impasse. The two sides are divided on the level of spending cuts to be made and where the cuts will come from. Some Republicans, for example, are balking over the idea of supporting a bill that would include spending for Planned Parenthood. Democrats object to deep cuts in such areas as education, which they say would impede the nation’s growth.
- Meanwhile, the House passed a bill Thursday to keep the federal government operating for another week and fund the Pentagon through September 30. It also cuts current spending levels by $12 billion. Both the president and Reid say they oppose any bill that’s not “clean,†meaning that any short-term measure must extend current funding and not include any policy riders.
But we know that you’re wondering how this could affect you. Here’s a sampling of the impact that a government shutdown would have on everyday life.
Approximately 800,000 federal government employees would be furloughed without pay. They could receive retroactive pay once government operations resume, but there is no guarantee. Their benefits, however, would not be interrupted. The US Postal Service, the military, Congress, Veterans Administration hospitals, air traffic controllers and federal law enforcement agencies would remain open. Paychecks for active service troops could be delayed, presenting a hardship for their families. Veterans’ health and welfare services also could be affected.
The Smithsonian Institution, the National Zoo and federally-funded museums and national parks around the country would close, which would result in loss revenues. The National Institutes of Health would not be able to accept new patients. New studies of drugs or other treatments would be postponed.
IRS tax audits would stop and the agency would not process paper returns. Electronic files will be processed, however.
Planning a trip abroad? You’re out of luck if you don’t already have a
passport or visa, or if you haven’t already paid the additional fee to have it expedited. Applications for government benefits and services would be postponed. That includes Social Security cards and claims, Medicare, SBA-backed loans and Federal Housing Administration-guaranteed loans.Applications for Small Business Administration-backed loans and Federal Housing Administration-guaranteed loans would not be processed.
Washington, D.C. would experience the greatest disruption: Trash collection and street sweeping services would stop. The Department of Motor Vehicles and all public libraries also would close. And all of those workers? No longer working.